Hi Jilly, I love these wonderful trees! I wonder if it's the same kind you photographed near the church St. Charles recently?In fact I have a photo as well of these trees as they impressed me so much. One day a lady in a red long dress was standing in the hole and was pretending to come out and her husband took a photo. Must be a very nice photo, I thought.For the wooden poles I have 2 theories: 1. They protect the trees from people stepping in or 2. they are to gain soil for other little plants to grow.On your pic it looks as if another plants grows in it. Think the leaves of the tree are much bigger?Barbara from Germany